The Smart Money: How the World's Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions

I have enjoyed Konik's writing on gambling topics for many years, and after all the good I had heard about this book, I was looking forward to a great read about the workings of top sports handicappers and syndicates. Well, he tells an interesting and unusual story, that's for sure, but we learn very very little about how it was all done.Konik is invited into the Brain Trust, but as a runner, a guy impersonating a high roller playing his own money, placing bets as big as he can get down anywhere where he can get it down. He is not a handicapper, nor was he involved in the money decisions (until very late and then on his own), and for as long as he was associated with the big boys they seem to have done a great job of keeping him out of the real loop.The story itself is still interesting, and I think is pretty well told. First he tries to get down with various Vegas casino books, for a while successfully, but as his rep spreads, and wise casino people connect him with Big Daddy, he has to find new places to place serious bets. This leads him eventually to a variety of outlets online and in the Caribbean, and his adventures with these folks, full of love while he's losing but ready to stiff him the instant he scores. Getting the money back isn't easy, and the universe of potential outlets to get his bets down shrinks quickly, shortly endangering his career as a gambler. It's a constant game of cat and mouse with the books, with Big Daddy considering how to keep the heat on Konik low, and of course still beating the spread over the course of a couple of years, playing for hair-raising amounts of cash.Konik eventually meets up with an old college chum, a math genius, who develops a new handicapping program, and so now Konik feels he doesn't have to front for Big Daddy, he can (with the aid of some Hollywood actors who fancy themselves gamblers) compete with him. It works for a few weeks. Then it all falls apart is a pretty ugly way, and Konik wisely decides to retire from sports betting. Konik's description of the stresses involved, and all it cost him in non-financial ways, is instructive.The story has lots of stuff on the comped meals he ate, about his hot swinger girlfriend, and lots and lots on virtually every bet he made, which tends to become repetitive after a while. The material on the unusual personalities is of greater interest. There is NO material on handicapping, because he doesn't know anything about it. In other words, it's popcorn for the mind, goes down quick and you like it while you read it, but once done you're vaguely disappointed. There will be lots of used copies of this up shortly; if you're still interested in reading the book wait for them and save some money.

Just finished this book. It reads like a fascinating novel. Not only is it very well written, you really don't have to be a sports better to enjoy this. Don't expect to be a better football handicapper or to discover any betting secrets, its not here. But what you will find is how a writer/sports bettor lived his life while making bets undercover for the world's most feared sports bettor. Konik takes you along for the ride meeting Big Daddy, the casino executives, his sexy girlfriend and other interesting characters. He finds out about NFL betting the hard way- win too much and too often and the casinos don't want your business so you are constantly trying to find ways to hide your bets. Obviously there are no secrets told on how the picks were made(except by the brain trust's computer.) Their method is that they only bet when they have the edge then bet a lot if they can find a way to get all of their money down. It shouldn't shock anyone that the world's best betters still have losing weeks like everyone else. Kind of makes you wonder if the point spread is so good why does the "smart money" beat it? Highly recommended- Michael Konik is a talented writer whose book is way above the others and he told his told his story masterfully.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. This story of Michael Konik's adventure in to the world of high stakes sports betting and the trials and tribulations that he encountered on that roller coaster ride is something very few of us will ever get to know but are richer for reading about.I won't go in to the storyline because I don't like to be a spoiler. I can say I was engrossed in how the story progressed as Konik became more and more well known amongst the bookies and their desire to prevent him from placing any kinds of 'real' bets. His association with the Brain Trust and how they operate is fascinating as you realize the business of betting successfully is just that, a business and is run as such.This is not really a book about how to bet sports but more a story on what to expect when betting on sporting events. Granted you will not likely win with the win expectancy that the author experienced but he did show that even when you have the odds in your favor there are times they still go against you.I recommend this to people who like to read about gamblers and how they operate. While I consider it a very well told story I will not give it a 5 star rating because it was a book I could put down for days at a time and while the read at times was compelling, the writing style was like that of a columnist and for 5 stars it would need to be better than that. This is a 4.5 star read.

Seems like most of the people who criticized this book are doing so because they question the truthfulness of it, and/or it didn't deliver what they were looking for (ie the key to sports gambling riches). First off, in a way it DID deliver on the 2nd point. The secret is to build a computer model more accurate than the competition (the linemakers and the other high-rollers). What else do you expect the book to deliver? A CD with the coded algorithm on it?As for the veracity of the tale, honestly, I don't care. Regardless of the level of truthfulness, it's a wildly entertaining story, and I couldn't put the book down until I was finished. It provides a glimpse into a world few of us will ever have access to, and it's a fascinating chronicle of Konik's descent from a guy who got physically sick sweating out a $4k "get-even" bet on a football game, to a guy who was churning $30k and upwards per game, and having 6 figure bankroll swings on a given day.If I have a complaint, it's that I want to hear the stories from the perspective of the characters who actually did all the work. The only thing Konik brought to the table was hustle. His ability to find and cultivate relationships with the sports books was what made him valuable. Now I'd like to hear the stories of the guys who actually did the REAL work of devising the models.

Loved this book.I’ve read quite a few gambling related books but this was the best.

very interesting if you are into this kind of stuff

It was a really good story, guy definitely knows how to write and entertain with his amazing journey thru the gambling world, but tbh i bought the book thinking of a way to beat the bookmakers, i wanted to know how to improve my bets and take my plays to the next level.. It didnt happen to me, not much is actually spoken about "how to gamble" or "tricks to beat the bookmakers" or "the math behind the game"... its just an amazing and fun story about a journalist hired by the most important bettor in the world and how he was balling around the world placing bets for him.

Great Book

Great book. If you enjoy betting on sports, you'll be intrigued by Konik's story.